2023 Overview
The challenges for craft brewers keep evolving. The craft brewing industry was down 1% in 2023 as breweries operate in an increasingly competitive environment.
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No brewery works in a silo. Brewers Association staff, including Chief Economist Bart Watson, keep close tabs on the statistics and trends that affect the entire craft brewing community. Keep up with the latest numbers to ensure the success and growth of your business using the resources in this category.
The challenges for craft brewers keep evolving. The craft brewing industry was down 1% in 2023 as breweries operate in an increasingly competitive environment.
Microbreweries, which suffered the biggest decline among categories in 2023, are trying to strike a balance between maximizing volume and growing thoughtfully.
Despite myriad challenges, many brewpubs and brewpub groups are managing to survive and, in some cases, even thrive behind rock-solid brands and innovative solutions.
Taprooms, which were down 2.4% by volume in 2023, are tapping into their ability to connect with community as they navigate craft brewing’s challenges.
The Regionals category grew 1% as it adjusted to a changing beerscape and courted a new generation of drinkers that is gravitating toward health-conscious choices.
The year 2023 marked the steepest volume decline on record for the industry, with the largest decline from a single brewer and single brand in modern U.S. history.
Change is a constant in beverage alcohol, but the pace and scope of change today seems greater than at almost any point since Prohibition.
Craft brewers continue to show resilience through twists and turns of pandemic-related complications. After a 2020 of shutdowns and pivots, volume grew 8% in 2021.
The craft brewing business is a mix of trends in full bloom, trends about to launch, and trends simmering just below the surface, waiting to erupt like a geyser.
As bad as circumstances were for 2020, there are reasons for optimism. Many craft breweries took a direct hit with double-digit declines, but found a way to survive.